


How You Lived

by SEGASister



Series: How You Lived [1]
Category: Monster Prom (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Darkfic, Even though this has been in the works prior to the Ghost Story Update, Gen, Past Lives, Spoilers for the LOCKET ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-01-26 05:08:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21368668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SEGASister/pseuds/SEGASister
Summary: Vicky's having nightmares as of late, of herself... dying? No. Her past self. Perhaps her Mother/Creator has some insight as to why...
Series: How You Lived [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2038398
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51





	1. Arisen Memories

_“Wh… what are you doing?!”_

_“Just shut up, and take it you little slut!”_

_“Let me go! Please!”_

_“SHUT UP! You deserve this for being such a fucking tease!”_

_“Stop! That hurts!”_

_“Heh… you ain’t seen nothing yet, whore…!”_

** _BANG!_ **

* * *

Vicky awoke with a scream. Her eyes were red with tears, her body drenched in a cold sweat. Immediately, she heard a knock at her bedroom door. Opening it, she saw her mother. For once, she looked absolutely terrified, nothing like the calm, stoic woman who Vicky has known for twenty or so years. Dr. Schmidt just embraced Vicky in a tight hug.

“It’s okay, Vicky! It’s okay! I’m here now… he can’t hurt you anymore…!” she said, burying herself in her daughter’s hair. But what she said made Vicky blink. She’s had several nightmares before, some similar to this… but her mom had never said that before.

“Mom, I didn’t even tell you about… nevermind,” Vicky groaned as she tore herself from her Mom’s embrace. Not out of embarrassment. No… she was ashamed with herself.

“Vicky, dear, you can tell me anything,” Dr. Schmidt reassured as the pair sat down on her daughter’s bed.

“N-No, Mom… it’s nothing. Okay? I just wanna sleep,” Vicky muttered as she got herself tucked into bed again. Shelley, Vicky’s cat, just curled up next to her. For a moment, there was silence in the room, that is until the fifty-year-old woman broke it.

“Vicky, call me insane—which would be great since I can’t be a certified mad scientist if I wasn’t legally insane—but… I think I know what your nightmare was about.”

“Really, Mom?” Vicky asked, turning towards her mother with skepticism on her face and doubt in her tone.

“… Did you ever question why you’re here? Why I’ve given _ you _ a second chance at life? There were plenty of other fresh corpses, so why you?”

“Actually, Mom, I stopped wondering that several years ago.”

“But still,” Dr. Schmidt continued. “You’ve wondered that at some point. Well… most undead I’ve seen have some recollection as to how they died. You appeared to have no such recollection, that is until these nightmares you’ve been having,”

“Hold up,” Vicky interrupted, sitting up. “You mean to tell me that I was having a nightmare about my death all this time?”

Dr. Schmidt remained silent before answering, “It’s a long story.”

“Well, it's only 10:30 PM, so we have time.”

The older woman took the younger into her arms, stroking her daughter’s hair.

“The truth is… I knew you in life. You were the only friend I’ve ever had for the longest time,” the older woman began.

“I… guess that explains why you wanted to reanimate me.”

“Yeah… part of it, at least,” the doctor answered. “I had just moved to the neighborhood you grew up in, Gardenia… what was it? Jersey?”

“Mom, _ we _ live in New Jersey.”

“Anyway… You and your family were across the street.”

“I know I shouldn’t be surprised by asking this, but… I had a family?”

“Yeah…”

“Well, why didn’t we ever try to see them?”

“I’m getting there…” Dr. Schmidt answered. “Anyway… the last time we saw each other, while you were alive, anyway, was in December, 1992…”

* * *

_ I was packing my things to study abroad in Germany. Your family had invited me over for one last dinner before my flight in the morning. Your parents, Carlos and Elisa Garcia, your older brothers, Luis and Miguel, and your younger sister, Imelda. And you, of course. _

_ “Frances, it’s nice to have you with us again before you go,” Mr. Garcia greeted. _

_ “Where’s Franny going?” asked Imelda. _

_ “Well,” you began. “She’s going to another part of the world. She’ll be able to meet new people and see new places and learn new things. But she’s not gonna stay there forever. She’ll be back,” you answered before turning your gaze towards me. “You will be back, right? You’re not gonna find some hot German guy and stay there?” _

_ “Wouldn’t dream of it,” I answered before giving you a hug… my best and only friend for seventeen years. “Now, Mrs. Garcia, where is that Christmas turkey?” _

_ “Still in the oven, Frances!” your mother called from the kitchen. “Feel free to a drink of coquito, though.” _

_ The two of us then headed to the kitchen and you poured us a couple of glasses. Now I don’t know if it was the coconut rum mixed in the drink, but the two of us had a giggling fit after a couple of sips. _

_ “I still can’t believe you’re leaving.” _

_ “I know… hey, I’ll call and write to you whenever I can… provided the time zones aren’t too far apart.” _

_ “Germany’s only six hours ahead of here. We should be fine.” _

_ “I hope so… Vicki?” _

_ “Yeah?” _

_ “While I get top grades and become a doctor, you better become the best engineer this town’s ever known.” _

_ “Baby steps, Fran. I just need to be an awesome mechanic at my dad’s repair shop for now.” _

_ Both of us shared a laugh. I don’t know what it was, but I had a feeling that this was the last time I would ever see you. Granted, I was going to spend roughly a year in Germany, so it was probably that. If only I knew… _

* * *

“Mom… Mom, are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah. I’m fine,” Dr. Schmidt answered, stopping her narration. Her words had trailed off. “A-Anyway… that was the last time I saw you. My flight to Germany was at 5:00 AM that morning, so I just drove myself to the airport. And as I promised, I kept in touch with you. We would talk over the phone once a month, but we wrote to each other constantly.

“From there, I’ve learned you’ve met a boy who needed his motorbike repaired. His name was Neil Richards. He lived in a wealthier part of town, you said… and that was the last I heard from you.”

“Do… do you know what happened to me?” Vicky asked, turning to her.

“I’d… I’d rather not say. I fear that if I do, I’ll only add to your nightmares. For now, you need to go back to sleep. Okay?” Dr. Schmidt asked as she kissed Vicky’s forehead and left the room. “Good night.”

“Good night, Mom,” Vicky muttered as her mother shut the door. Well, she now knows that she does have an actual mom, but Frances was the closest thing to a mother she remembered having… Vicky can’t help but wonder, though: what about her actual mom? Her dad? Her siblings? Were… were they all okay? Vicky drifted off to sleep once more.

* * *

_ “Mamí! Vicki’s getting herself messy again!” cried out eight-year-old Imelda Garcia as she ran down the stairs towards her mother, her older sister on her tail. Victoria, aged twenty-two, was dressed in a nice blue dress, fairly conservative, but still showed off her legs. Elisa was confused as to what, “mess,” her youngest was talking about, until she saw her older daughter’s face. _

_ “Hmm? Imelda, honey, that’s make-up. It’s supposed to make girls look prettier…” she answered, standing up and walking over to Vicki. “Oh, míja, you look beautiful.” _

_ “Thanks, Mom,” she said, looking over to see her father and two older brothers. “Need to make sure it’s appropriate for my date?” _

_ Carlos just rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Alright, Little Victoria, it should be.” _

_ “I don’t have any grease stains on me, do I?” _

_ “Hmm… no. I don’t see any. Niños?” _

_ Miguel Garcia, aged twenty-three, began looking her over, very closely. “Nah, don't see anything. Though you smell like you jumped in a flower patch.” This earned him a light whack over the head, courtesy of Luis Garcia, aged twenty-eight. _

_ “Ignore him, hermana,” he said. Carlos just gave a stern look at his boys, showing them that he’s not in the mood for them teasing her. _

_ “Hey, don’t worry. I’ll be back to being your grease-covered sister before you know it. Hey, someone’s gotta look after Papí’s shop when he gets too old.” This earned a warm smile and a hug from her father. Fortunately for her, he wasn’t covered in any grease or motor oil. _

_ Then the doorbell rang. Immediately, Carlos went to answer. There, on the other side of the door, was a tall, blonde man. He was formally dressed, but not overtly so. _

_ “Uh… Hola, right?” he asked, chuckling sheepishly as Carlos gave him a deadpan look. “Sorry. Still trying to learn Spanish, Señor.” _

_Carlos then turned towards his daughter, face asking, “This is the tonto that asked you out?” Vicki just nodded in response. _

_ “Hi, Neil,” she greeted, walking to her date and hugging him. He, in return, kissed her on her forehead. _

_ “Hey, Vicki. So… ready for that party?” _

_ “Yep!” she answered, right before turning to her parents. “Curfew is at Midnight. I know.” _

_ “You have your house keys and money for a payphone in case anything happens, right?” Elisa asked, kissing her daughter on the forehead. _

_ “Yes, Mamá,” she answered. Carlos then hugged his daughter tightly. _

_ “Mantente a salvo, Princesa.” _

_ “Te queiro, papá…” Vicki whispered before walking back to the door, waving at her family before shutting it behind her. Little did she know, this would be the last time she would see her family… _


	2. Party All Night!

Vicky woke up the next morning to her alarm clock going off, as well as her cat nudging her head against her shoulder. Vicky chuckled and petted her on her forehead.

“Morning, Shelley,” she greeted, getting up out of bed and quickly getting dressed. Last night’s dreams still lingered on her mind… what did they mean? No matter. She had school to go to. Quickly heading downstairs, she was surprised to not find her mother in the kitchen. No, instead she was already in the car.

“Hey… already ready for school?” she asked, stepping inside the passenger seat.

“Y-Yeah,” Dr. Schmidt answered, a stammer in her voice. She just kept her eyes on the road as she drove off. Funny, last night Vicky was the one having nightmares and today, it was her mom who was acting funny.

“Are… are you alright, Mom?”

“Yeah. I should be fine.”

The rest of the car ride was silent, neither wanting to address the elephant in the room. They didn’t even make eye contact as Dr. Schmidt parked at Spooky High’s parking lot and Vicky left the car, rushing into the building to make it to her first class. What happened last night spooked her, sure. But she wasn’t gonna let it bring down her day. In fact, she’s so focused on _ not _ thinking about what was keeping her up last night, she didn’t notice that she had bumped into someone, causing her to let her books spill over.

“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!” she shouted, scrambling to pick up her books as the student she bumped into just… stared at her.

“You’re usually more observant than this,” Brian muttered.

“I… uh… what?” Vicky asked as she stared up at the zombie, straightening out his parka.

“There’s a distant look in your eyes… is everything okay?” he asked, suddenly showing concern. Vicky just blushed, clutching her books to her chest.

“I’m fine,” she sternly answered before walking to her next class. Brian just stared as she walked away. Normally, Vicky was this bubbly, optimistic patchwork corpse, ready to take the day head-on. There was something off about her… he didn’t like it.

Vicky, meanwhile, just kept walking until she reached her first class: Horrible Histories. But today, the teacher, Death, was covering something not so horrible: parties! In particular, the ancient Roman festival of Venuralia, in honor of Venus, Roman Goddess of Love.

… Wait…

* * *

_“Whoo! Yes! My first ever party…!” Vicki cheered as Neil drove her. He just smiled to himself as his eyes fell upon the most lovely woman he’d ever met. He had to hand it to her: she cleans up nicely._

_ It took almost an hour until they found themselves in front of a large home, with a sign reading, “KΣΓ,” in front. Judging by the amount of drunk young adults out front, this was most definitely your stereotypical frat party. _

_ “Yeesh… it’s like a German Holiday here,” Neil muttered. _

_ “Isn’t Oktoberfest not for another two months?” Vicki asked. Both shared a laugh as they entered, immediately met with the party’s host. It’s then that Vicki noticed that, outside of her, the majority of the attendees were white. Now, she had no problem with Caucasian people: this is the nineties, after all. Surely, they’re nice people, right? _

_ “Hey, guys! Want a round?” the host asked, gaze going to the shorter, Latina woman in front of him. _

_ “Uhh… no thanks,” she answered, earning a groan from the host. _

_ “Come on, Chica. Need to get some tequilas to help ya have fun or something?” he asked, turning to his friend, who shook his head disapprovingly. _

_ “Thought Spanish girls were all about fun…” _

_ Vicki wasn’t against drinking, no. But she literally just got here and guys want her to get drunk? Then again, what’s one glass gonna do? _

_ “Hehe… maybe some coconut rum?” _

_ “Ha! Now we’re talking!” the host shouted as his friend immediately poured her a glass of coconut rum. They gave it to Neil, who passed it to Vicki, who took a sip. _

_ “Sorry if they said something dumb, Vicki.” _

_ “No problem,” she responded before pausing. “Uh… not every has a problem with Latinos, right?” _

_ “Nah, I don't think there is,” her date answered. “If there is, I can get you away from them. Plus could also be drunk ramblings.” _

_ Not five steps later and Vicki felt a hand go under her skirt to grab her ass. She immediately froze. Well, this was entirely inappropriate! _

_ “Oh. Sorry…” the culprit snarked once he saw her expression. That didn’t mean he stopped. He was still feeling her ass. _

_ “Can you stop?” she blatantly asked him, causing him to roll his eyes and walk away. Neil glared at him all the while. Still, that didn’t stop him from bragging to his friends about some, “hot Mexican ass,” he grabbed just now. _

_ Wanting desperately to change the topic of conversation, she asked, “So… what’s the occasion?” _

_ “I think it’s a birthday party or a big game win?” he answered, confused himself. Still, she can’t help but notice a couple of guys eyeing her with a sneer. _

_ The pair just decided to sit down on a couch as more drinks were being handed out to the girls in attendance. Vicki was fine with her rum, so she turned the offer down. She did accept an offer to drink a can of cherry soda when she was done. _

_ Suddenly, she just started giggling; must’ve been the rum. Neil just held her close, looking closely at her: her smile, her eyes, her laugh. That was what attracted her to him, and all that made her personality shine through even more. He felt Vicki situate herself in his lap, still in a giggling fit as she pulled him into a kiss. And the pair made out as cheesy nineties love songs were blasted over the speakers. _

_ Too bad that had been ruined by the party’s host separating the two. _

_ “What’s going on…?” Vicki asked as she was escorted to a group of girls, standing in front of the guys, chanting, “TAKE IT OFF!” _

_ “Sorry. My girl wants to do a group flash. So she’s asking all the girls with dates to flash them all of them at once. That means you, Chica,” the host answered. _

_ “I beg your pardon?” Neil asked, half-angered and half-intrigued. Seeing his date’s chest on their first date? Should be an interesting site to see. But… he can tell she was uncomfortable. Good to know alcohol doesn’t rid her of all inhibitions. Also good to know she wasn’t the only one not okay with flashing her chest to a bunch of strangers. _

_ “Guys, come on! They’re people, not dolls,” one of the men protested as he helped Neil escort Vicki out of the group. _

_ “Thanks, Bri. I owe you one,” Neil thanked. _

_ “You two know each other?” Vicki asked as the two stood next to each other. Roughly the same height, sure, but one was clearly less Asian in appearance than the other. The tall stranger simply shrugged. “I’m Vicki Garcia.” _

_ “Brian Yu.” _

_ “… Are you asking me for my name again or is your last name literally, ‘Yu?’” she asked, and the trio shared a laugh. _

_ “It’s Korean,” Brian answered. “By the way, Neil, hope you don’t mind me dragging her ass out of the fire, right?” _

_ “Shut up…” Neil muttered, still chuckling. _

_ “Neil… is it alright if we left? Not having as much fun as I thought…” Vicki asked turning to Brian as she finished her question. “Not because of you! Hehe… uhh… Numbers! We should hang out sometime!” she shouted, digging in her purse for a pen and grabbing a napkin. On it, she wrote her home phone number. Tearing it in two, Brian wrote his on the other half. _

_ “Don’t worry; I promise not to harass your girl, Neil,” Brian reassured as the couple left, waving to him. It seems that the number of attendees outside had doubled while they were inside. No matter, they’ll be leaving anyhow. _

_ “So…” Vicki began as she stepped in the passenger seat. “Dinner and a movie?” _

_ “Yeah. Sounds good. So sorry for what you had to go through in there.” _

_ “Oh no, it’s fine. It’s just, I’ve never been in that situation before…” _

_ CLICK! _

_ “The Hell…?” _

_ “Drive. Now.” _

_ “Who… who are you?!” _

_ “Don’t ask dumb questions, Chica. You’ll live longer. And so will he.” _

** _BANG!_ **

* * *

Vicky awoke with a start… at her desk. There was a giant textbook currently sitting on it, unceremoniously dropped by Death themselves.

“Am I boring you to death with my lecture?” they asked, the rest of the students following in laughter. Vicky just kept quiet. Thankfully, the humiliation didn’t last long as the bell rang. She immediately collected her things and left the room.

Immediately, she made her way to the bathroom. She just dropped her things and stared long and hard into one of the mirrors. There were actual bags under her eyes.

“What’s wrong with you?!” she screamed at herself. “Oh, I don’t know! Just getting sudden flashbacks to a life I never knew I had and I don’t know how or why!” she answered, picking at her stitches.

“Can you keep it down? I’m trying to make some toilet wine here!” shouted a ghostly voice from one of the stalls… or rather, the voice of a ghost.

“Sorry, Polly…” Vicky muttered, rolling her sleeves down to cover herself as Polly phased through the stall. Polly was still miffed, but she caught a glimpse of Vicky’s reflection… That didn’t look right.

“H-hey… sorry for snapping. You feeling okay, Vick?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” Vicky lied, immediately. Polly wasn’t convinced.

“No. No you’re not. I know that tone. I know that look.” Polly then floated next to her, both staring at their reflections in the mirror. “You look like you just blanked out having a flashback.”

Vicky just blinked. Stammering, she tried to think of a way to deflect that accusation. “How… how did you—?”

“I’ve had them myself. I know it from experience,” Polly interrupted, tone suddenly serious, hardly anything like the happy-go-lucky girl Vicky knew. “All Undeads have it at some point if their deaths aren’t exactly peaceful… like mine.”

Vicky just sighed, rolling her eyes and turning to face her. “You’ve thrown so many red herrings as to how you’ve died, it’s almost become a running gag,” she pointed out. “Although, those were at the very least somewhat comical.”

“Yeah, I can at least joke about being run over by a bus or having hemlock slipped in my drink,” Polly chuckled. “But how I actually died, that’s not something to joke about… promise me you won’t tell anyone?”

“My lips are sealed,” Vicky answered as both sat down on the surprisingly clean bathroom countertop. Polly then joined her.

“My life was… not as fun as it could be. I mean, there were good moments in it, but overall, could’ve been better. Yeah, I still did drugs while I was alive. But, big shock, I was responsible. I only did drugs recreationally, and kept away from some of the really harmful drugs, and remained clean on nights where I really needed to. And you know what? I was happy with that. Though I will admit my drug-addicted life did have a source. 

“I think the biggest influence over my life was my dad… He was stressed beyond all belief, and he was addicted to alcohol and medication. Sometimes it’d cause him to act out, but not once would he take out his anger and frustration on any of us. That’s kind of a good thing. But he did find another unhealthy outlet.

“It all escalated to one night. Forgot what year it was. My dad, mother, brother and I were either going to or coming from a game. Dad, of course, was intoxicated. While the exact details of what happened are still lost on me… I still remember the result. All four of us found our car totaled and toppled over. I woke up immediately afterwards… only to realize I really wasn’t awake. And I later found out that my dad was the only survivor…”

Polly fell silent, unable to speak anymore of what happened. Vicky remained silent as well. That was just AWFUL!

“I know it sounds like this is a traumatizing event… I bet you’re thinking how I am is an act, right?” Polly asked. Vicky looked away as the ghost girl just gave her a hug. “Well, it’s not. I don’t want my life to hold me back. It’s why I do what I do; it’s why I party so much, why I play pranks with Scott, hang with Liam when he does hipster stuff and all the other things I do. Not everyone gets a second chance. You and I… we’re lucky that we were given this second chance,” Polly said with a smile, tightening her hug.

“There’s a difference, though. You’re here because you have some unfinished business. I’m here because _ someone _ brought me back… someone who appreciated me deeply in life,” Vicky pointed out, causing Polly to giggle.

“If I didn’t say this before, you have an awesome mom,” Polly complimented. Vicky had a small ghost of a smile on her face, grateful that the usually goofy ghost girl had enough maturity to take this seriously. “Heh… if anything, you have her to help you through this period. And you have us as well. And when you’re comfortable with sharing how you died…” Polly’s words began to drift again. She just took a deep breath to snap herself to reality.

“That moment is usually the hardest when you’re alone… So if you find out, come see me or someone you really, really trust. Okay?” Polly requested, looking at Vicky in the eye. Vicky had a small ghost of a smile on her face, grateful that the usually goofy ghost girl had enough maturity to take this seriously. Given her own tragic end, which Polly felt comfortable sharing with her, it was understandable.

“Wait… does this mean you trust me enough to tell me how you died?”

“Well… yeah.”

“Like I said, my lips are sealed.”

“Heh… thanks.”

The bell then rang, making Vicky realize she _ just _ missed second period. And immediately, she went back into panic mode. “Shoot!” she shouted as she ran off. Polly just stayed behind, happy that Vicky appears to be her old self again.


	3. Movie Nightmares

The next few hours carried on as normal. Vicky appeared normal: no sudden flashbacks triggered by certain words or visuals, no trauma to distract her from her day. She was even able to get together with her friends during lunch. No, not to discuss Prom.

“Hey, Blue,” Brian greeted, taking off his football helmet. “You doing good?”

“Doing better, thanks Brian,” Vicky reassured as she saw Amira and Oz coming to the table at about the same time.

“Glad to hear you’re doing better. Sorry to hear that you had to go through that thing with Death,” Amira said, giving her friend a sympathetic look.

“What happened there?” Oz asked. “It’s not like you to just blank out during class.”

“I… I guess I overslept,” Vicky answered, earning a look of concern from her three best friends.

“You _ never _ oversleep…” Brian pointed out, putting an arm around the girl he saw like a sister. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” Vicky sternly answered. Brian just tightened his grip on her shoulder. Though this did get Vicky thinking… what was Brian doing in one of her flashbacks. Did they actually meet and know each other in life?

“Brian, do you mind if we spoke privately?”

All three remained silent, but Amira respectfully stood up, taking Oz by the shoulder. “Come on, Ozzy. Let’s give the sibs some alone time. Probably mushy stuff.”

“Heh… Alright,” Oz muttered as they both walked away, leaving the undead pair alone.

“Alright, sis. What’s up?”

“Do… do you remember what happened before you died?”

Brian paused, thinking to himself a little, blinking his eyes in confusion. “Bits and pieces, I guess,” he answered. “I just remember waking up from a grave and then blacking out before I ran into you and your Mom, and then the three of us moved to Monstropolis. Why do you ask?”

“… What happened in class earlier, I had a vision. A vision of my life, and I saw you,” Vicky answered. “We were at a party and you helped me get away from some creeps.”

“Heh. Sounds like something I’d do anyway,” Brian chuckled.

“Here’s the thing, though. That was the first time we met… and probably the last time before either of us died.”

Brian mulled over what Vicky told him, scratching his chin at this. “That would mean we came from the same town then… or at least near it. What kind of party was it?”

“Some frat party or something. They made the girls do some sort of… weird flash game, but you were able to get me away.”

“‘Flash game?’” Brian asked with a groan, appearing to be annoyed at that idea. “Why the fuck would idiots even think of that? Girls aren’t supposed to be just paraded around. Gotta show them respect.”

“Yep. You said something like that in my vision…” Vicky pointed out. Brian just blinked at this.

“Well, if we met in life, guess it’s fate that we’re sibs now huh?” he asked as he gave his sister a smile. “Guess if I get more memories then, I know we can talk about it. Right?” Vicky smiled at this as she gave her brother a hug. At that moment, the bell rang.

“Oh! We’re still on for movie night, right?”

“I’ll fill Amira and Oz then,” Brian confirmed as they walked to their next classes.

After that, the rest of the day was uneventful… until it was time to go home. Dr. Schmidt had to stay behind to grade papers, so Vicky decided to carpool with Brian to Amira’s place and stay the night. She was set to host movie night tonight, and she had quite the interesting pick, since it was nearing Halloween and all.

“Figured for the spooky season, we go with a slasher: _ Worth the Risk _. Apparently this was based off of a true story,” she informed as she prepared popcorn for everyone. Just so you know, she used the microwave, not her hair.

“So what’s it about?” Oz asked, situating himself in between Brian and Vicky.

“Some douchebag goes around killing women and, because he’s so fucked up in the head… I’m spoiling too much,” Amira explained as she selected said movie on Webkix. For some reason, Vicky felt a chill.

“Is… is there any other movie we can watch?”

“Oh? How come? Chicken?” Amira teased.

“N-No! It’s just… can we watch anything but this?”

“Uhh… I’m with Vicky on this one…” Oz said.

“Hey… it’s just a movie. Well, a movie based off of a true crime, but still, just a movie,” Amira reassured. Vicky just sighed.

“Okay. Let’s… let’s watch.”

“You sure, Blue?”

“I’m sure, Green.”

It’s then that Amira joined her four friends on the couch as the movie began. The movie, thankfully, started with a disclaimer, that this film was not made to simply glorify of the murders, that the victims’ names were changed to protect their identities, that their families were consulted with, and proceeds went to them.

Afterwards, the film started proper. It dragged on for a bit, an over privileged white guy having everything he could want, all except for a woman. Brian and Vicky did feel a pit in their stomachs as to how he was portrayed. There were scenes intercut in there of a lovely Japanese woman and her family, working at a restaurant.

Then the pair met at that very restaurant one night, the girl off the clock. They appear to be having a good time, sure. But then he spiked her drink and brought her to his car. With that, Vicky headed to the bathroom to throw up, a concerned Amira following her. Brian, meanwhile, was gripping the couch with a look of anger.

“Uh… Brian, you okay?” Oz asked.

“… F-Fine, I’m fine,” Brian reassured, though his teeth were clenched. He rubbed his head, feeling a slight migraine forming on the bit of exposed brain. The two boys were the only ones to see the girl get tortured and murdered, and Brian nearly ripped off the couch’s arm.

“Hey… Amira muttered as she came back with Vicky. “We miss anything?”

“Uhh…” Oz whimpered, not wanting to say in detail what he and Brian just witnessed. “Vicky, are you sure you want to keep watching?”

“No, no. I’m fine,” she answered as she sat back down. After making sure the undead were okay, the movie continued to the killer’s day at class. There was talk about a party later that week from some of his friends before it went to him driving, going past what looked like an auto-shop.

The movie was stuck there for a bit, only to see a classmate from an earlier scene at that shop, one that looked a lot like Brian to Oz and Amira. And in the same scene was a young Hispanic lady working on the car from the open garage, the two were making small talk. One look at the girl, and the four immediately recognized who she was supposed to be based off of.

“Uhh… anyone else feeling a sense of dread?” Oz asked nervously. “And I’m not just talking about the killing earlier.” Brian and Vicky remained silent as the party scene occurred… this was exactly like her vision, only it was from the killer’s perspective. He was eyeing the couple before he snuck off.

And then they showed the couple, the Brian-like guy getting the pretty Hispanic girl away from some drunk college girls and muttering in annoyance at how the other guys were acting before apologizing to his date. They head to the car… where the killer was waiting for them. He shoots at the man’s shoulder, making him yell out before putting a knife at the woman’s neck and ordering the injured man to drive.

And with that, Vicky blanked out again…

* * *

_ Neil was made to drive to a clearing the woods, gun still pointed at his head by the assailant in the backseat. Since the car was in motion, it wasn’t like Vicki could run off anywhere. Now could be her chance to try to find some help! However… _

_ “Leave this vehicle and your boyfriend dies. Understood?” he growled. She said nothing, but stayed put. “Good. Now then… take off your dress.” _

_ “Wh… what…?” _

_ “You don’t speak English? I. Said. Take. Off. Your. Dress,” he repeated, tone becoming increasingly condescending. “Get. Naked. Am I speaking slow enough for you to understand, whore?!” _

_ Tears in her eyes, Vicki slowly began to remove her dress, starting to shiver due to the cold, and due to fear. Despite this, this mysterious assailant shot Neil in the chest from behind, causing him to fall forward and have his head collide with the glass. _

_ “NEIL! NO!” Vicki cried, trying to sit him up. “Neil, speak to me! Please!” Before she knew it, she was ripped from him again, their attacker having opened her door and dragged her out kicking and screaming. “LET ME GO!” _

_ “SHUT UP!” he ordered, dragging her backwards towards a pick-up truck by her torso, gripping her breasts firmly as he held her against him before letting go for a moment to shove her in the back, layered with a tarp, plenty of ropes beside her. She continued to fight against him even as he had her bound. Then he reminded her that he had a gun on him, and she was silent and still, fearing for her life. _

_ Immediately after binding her, he forced her into a kiss, holding her head as he used his body to pin her down. Soon enough, he stripped himself down, leaving them both nude… _

_ “Wh… what are you doing?!” _

_ “Just shut up, and take it you little slut!” _

_ “Let me go! Please!” _

_ “SHUT UP! You deserve this for being such a fucking tease!” _

_ “Stop! That hurts!” _

_ “Heh… you ain’t seen nothing yet, whore…!” _

_ Vicki was terrified. She didn’t want to go like this! She most certainly didn’t want to be violated, taken away, and possibly killed! She just shut her eyes, holding back her tears as he took advantage of her. She didn’t scream; who could hear her out here anyhow? Or would he have shot her had she even tried to scream? _

_ When he was done, he wrapped the tarp around her before heading to the driver’s seat and driving off. Vicki could barely move herself as he drove on, not sure where she was going… or if she was going to live… _

_ As such, time pretty much became a blur. She was moved from the truck to what looked like a lone log cabin where she was chained to a bed. She didn’t know how long she was there: there were no clocks to tell the time, and the windows were covered with curtains so thick, no sunlight could get through. When he was here, he made her stay an absolute torture. _

_ He’d leave to get her some food once in a while, sure, but he’d always left her in a position in which she can’t escape. Even if she did, she was in the middle of nowhere. She’d starve to death or be attacked by a wild animal before she could safely find anybody. Though she’d prefer a bear over her captor at this point. _

_ The last time he came, he had brought with him some tools she couldn’t see, on the brink of consciousness as he went to use her once more. She no longer had the strength to move. She did, however, have the strength to cry, even with the barrel of the gun in between her lips. _

_ “Heh… I really hope you had your fun these past few weeks. But you’ve fulfilled your purpose. There’s fresher flesh to fry. Have a nice rest…” _

** _BANG!_ **

* * *

“Vicky?! Vicky!”

Vicky awoke to Amira snapping her fingers in her face, softly shaking her with her other hand. 

Looking over her friend’s shoulder, Oz was doing the same thing to Brian, who appeared to have been in a similar haze.

“Amira… what happened?” she asked. It was then she realized that the movie was turned off.

“Vicky, I messed up, I _ really _ fucking messed up.”

“Nonono! It’s okay!” Vicky reassured. “You couldn’t have known! Heck… I myself didn’t know. But I didn’t wanna ruin movie night!”

“Vicky, girl. This was on me. The minute I saw you puke, I should’ve just turned it off already. Have us watch something else… how was any of us supposed to know someone made a movie of your death anyway?” Amira asked, slinking into her seat. Vicky’s answer was cut off by a low groan coming from their larger friend. Not one of hunger, no. One of anger.

“That asshole…”

“Huh?”

Before he continued, Brian took a deep breath, appearing to calming himself down. “Y-Yeah… we knew him,” he confirmed. “It only takes until now for me to remember him.”

“Shit. I never should’ve picked that film in the first place.”

“Oh, you think?!”

“Guys! Now’s not the time for fighting!” Vicky shouted, getting in between them. “Amira couldn’t have known. We ourselves had no idea. Let’s just call this an accident and move on, okay?!” This caused zombie and djinn to hush up.

Oz just cleared his throat before suggesting, “Wanna call it a night?” All three of his friends nodded.

But Vicky didn’t want to sleep. She was worried that she was gonna get the same flashback again, if not more. She did decide on one thing, though: she and her Mom are talking about this when she gets home the next day. This deserved a face-to-face conversation.


	4. Uncovered Truths

Morning came and Vicky, though not wanting to risk another nightmare coming her way, went back on her word on not sleeping. The good news, no nightmares tonight. By the time she woke up, she saw that her three friends were chilling on the couch eating breakfast. The television was immediately turned off.

“Hey, Blue… how’d you sleep?” Amira asked.

“Well enough, I guess…” she answered. “What were you all watching just now?” she asked. All remained silent, but she knew anyway.

“Brian insisted he wanted to keep watching with us. We… skipped over the murders,” Oz explained.

“So… what happened?” Vicky asked as she sat down to join them.

“Well, while the asshole killer was looking for his next victim, we saw Brian’s character here get together with police to try to find… yours,” Amira answered.

“I can pretty much say it’s  _ mostly _ accurate,” Brian confirmed. “Except that, no. Vicky and I were not dating. I guess the writers took me and her bf and made us into one character… there was one other character that seemed familiar though.”

“Who?”

“That character’s older sister who was away in Europe comes back and gets herself involved in the aftermath of your character’s death…”

That only gave Vicky more of an incentive to see her Mom when she got home later. After breakfast, Brian and Vicky left in silence. Last night was pretty heavy for both of them. But to be honest, at least Vicky could say she  _ needed _ to see that film. It gave her more pieces that her mother might not be comfortable sharing. Speaking of…

As soon as Brian dropped her off, she headed straight for the front door, taking out her key and heading inside. Immediately, she saw her mother at the dining room table, working out her lesson plan for Monday.

“Victoria. You’re back,” Dr. Schmidt acknowledged, giving Vicky a hug. Vicky did return with a small smile before stepping back.

“We need to talk.”

“I… I guess the day has come,” Dr. Schmidt sighed, as if she was expecting this. “Your tone makes it obvious what you wanna talk about.” Vicky just nodded and pulled up a chair next to her.

“Do… do you know what happened to me?” Vicky asked, concern in her tone.

“Some things never change, I guess…” Dr. Schmidt mumbled. “Your mother called me on Sunday after you didn’t come back for church. I hopped on a plane back to the States immediately. The minute I got back home, I knew I just had to find you. We were able to get the police involved, but not until 72 hours after you were first reported missing.”

“I… know where I was now… how I died… that’s what I was having nightmares about…” Vicky couldn’t finish as Dr. Schmidt took a shaky breath, these memories clearly painful for her too. And with that, Dr. Schmidt pulled Vicky into an even tighter hug.

“That bastard. He… took you apart. Tore you limb from limb. I honestly still don’t know why he would do that. Despite the fact that I was the one who ultimately busted him. Though I don’t think I would’ve been able to recognize him. That honor would go to Brian.”

“ _ Our _ Brian?”

“Yes.  _ Our _ Brian. I met him shortly I checked in with your family. Said he was trying to get into contact with you after he failed to contact your boyfriend. I mean… I could tell he was worried about you both, even though, according to him, he had only known you for one night.”

* * *

_ I met him for the first time that Thursday, after I pulled into your parents’ driveway… rubbing his cheek. It was clear that your mother had slapped him hard across the face. I didn’t know why; all I knew was that I didn’t know him. _

_ “Who is this?” Brian asked. _

_ “Frances Schmidt. Vicki’s best friend since childhood,” your mother answered. _

_ “And who is this?” I asked. _

_ “Brian Yu. Vicki met him at the party on Saturday,” your brother, Luis answered. _

_ “I go to them to keep the morons from getting arrested after a different chick from my part of town went missing. A girl named Yuki.” _

_ “Speaking of missing…” _

_ “No. No sign of her yet,” Luis answered, and I saw that he was holding your mother, trembling. _

_ “Damn… want me to drive to the police department to give a statement?” Brian asked. I just grabbed his arm. _

_ “Can… can I come with you?” _

_ With a silent nod, the two of us proceeded to the station. While Brian was giving off a list of names of every single attendee at that party, I just sat down next to him. When he was done, the detective started to ask me questions. _

_ “Is everything alright, Miss Schmidt?” he asked. _

_ “Y-Yeah… it’s just that Vicky’s been my only friend for the longest time. If anything happened to her, well I’d probably go mad.” _

_ “And you said you were in Germany at the time of her disappearance?” _

_ “Yes, Sir. Have been since December.” _

_ “I see. Do you know anyone who would’ve wanted to hurt Miss Garcia?” _

_ “Of course not,” I snapped, almost defensive. I was lucky to still not have been labeled as a suspect. _

_ “So, Mr. Yu, you’re certain that the person who’s responsible is male?” _

_ “Yeah. The names I underlined are guys I’ve noticed making suggestive and/or racist comments about her. _

_ “How do you know Neil didn’t do it himself?” I asked. _

_ “Mr. Richards was shot in his shoulder and lung. Judging from the examination of his body, we were able to determine that he was indeed shot from behind.” _

_ “Oh.” Well I certainly felt stupid, accusing your boyfriend of killing you. Granted, this was probably where my descent into madness started, if I wasn’t mad already. _

_ “I believe that will be all from you two today. If we need anything, we’ll call you,” the detective informed us as he shook our hands and escorted us out of the building. _

_ “Just so you know,” I began. “We’re not friends. After Vicki comes back to us, we could try to be friends for her sake. But for now, we’re not.” _

_ “Uhh… sure.” _

_ And with that, we parted ways… for now. _

* * *

“What happened next?” Vicky asked.

“A couple of weeks passed… until it was the last week of August. Police were called after a child found what looked like an arm by the playground.”

Vicky looked like she was about to barf. But she was able to hold it down, thankfully.

“I saw from my window the officers approaching your parents door. Judging by the sight of your mother collapsing into your father’s arms, I… I knew it wasn’t good news. Your missing persons case had just become a homicide investigation. Throughout the next week, your other arm appeared by the library, your legs were found at a school and a flower shop.

“And your head… your father discovered your head in a trash bin by his shop.” As soon as Dr. Schmidt croaked out that last bit of information, her hug became even tighter.

“Then that Sunday night, I was in church, praying for your killer to be caught. As if my prayers had been answered, I spotted him, lurking around, trying to bury something in the dirt. Immediately I used the church phone to call the police, keeping quiet so as not to draw his attention. He was a blonde, a tall white guy, with an athletic build… that just sticks with you.”

“I know…” Vicky muttered. As her mother described the mysterious man, Vicky was able to envision him perfectly. “Did… did he happen to have a buzzcut, Mom?”

“As a matter of fact, he did…” Dr. Schmidt answered. She didn’t need to ask why Vicky would remember that detail. She knew why. “I saw him run back to his car as soon as police showed up. The following morning, it was reported that he was arrested for trying to bury a woman’s torso by the church.”

“Okay… so that’s good, right?”

“Yes, you could say that. That day, Brian and I were called back to identify him. Neil would’ve too, but…”

“But what?”

“He had already succumbed to his injuries. He died before parts of your body were discovered. So he was fortunate enough to not look his victim in the eye. However… he did have us to recognize him. We just sat outside the room as he was interrogated. It turns out… you weren’t the first girl he did this to.”

“Yuki…”

“Yeah… Yuki Narawa was a 21-year-old college student, working at a family-run restaurant. She ended up missing one day, and her body was given the same treatment, scattered across her community. She was just one of, what he claimed to be, twelve victims, with yours being the latest… and he still had a victim he was holding hostage. A high schooler named Lashawna Jeffries. Thankfully, she survived. Police were able to get him to lead them to her… and return her to her family.”

Vicky breathed a huge sigh of relief at that bit of information. “Wait… do you remember his name?”

“I’ll never forget it: Jonathan Foxworth. Brian called him a, ‘rich military brat who hates anyone who isn’t white, but makes fake philosophical bullshit about non-white girls being temptresses.’ Even considers girls of mixed race to be mutants, their white parents monsters for betraying their race to marry a person of color.”

“Sounds like an asshole…”

“And he was. During his trial, his lawyer painted this same racist outlook for the jury… Thankfully, the jury chose evidence over racist caricatures.”

“Surprise, considering that this took place in the 90s.”

“Ninety-five to be precise.”

“Why wait that long, though?”

“Looking over evidence, making sure witness statements added up, lawyers building their cases,” Dr. Schmidt answered. “The judge only looked at your’s and Yuki’s deaths as well as Lashawna’s abduction. He was found guilty of all charges and sentenced to life. No chance of parole… He wouldn’t be able to hurt you or  _ anyone _ ever again. However…”

“However?!”

“In that time, Brian and I became friends too. Then… then we heard Jonathan escaped after the trial. Brian had volunteered to help the police hunt him down before he could kill anyone again. He was one of many able bodied people. Your father and brothers wanted to join of course, but your mother didn’t want to lose them too, so they backed out… but Brian promised them he’d help find your killer before he struck again.

“So he went to the woods where Lashawna was found alive, to see if he could find the cabin. I last saw him in April before he decided to head out alone. Said if he went with cops, Jonathan would be alerted and try to run off again. A few days went by when I came back to help look for him, this time with the police. But…”

“But what…?” Vicky asked nervously as Dr. Schmidt gave a shaky sigh.

“Brian was found in a ditch in his parka. He had multiple wounds… likely was beaten to death. And to this day, nobody knows what happened to Jonathan. He could be living under a new name in a new town for all we know. It was then I decided I wouldn’t be alone again… so I began my studies in the forbidden act of my ancestor, Dr. Victor Frankenstein. I had planned on revealing this to your family of course, but I needed to know if it’d work.”

“So you tested on me?”

“Precisely. Thankfully, your body hadn’t started rotting away. However, your body wasn’t stitched together so… I took care of that. Then, on August 16th, 1995… you were born for a second time,” Dr. Schmidt continued, taking her hand. “Like a newborn baby, you didn’t know how to walk, talk, or feed yourself… Thankfully, you’re a smart girl, so you learned all of that quickly.” Both shared a chuckle at that, the elder feeling nostalgic.

“I thought this would be a great time to reintroduce you to your family, as well as let them know on how to take care of you from thereon out. But when your parents saw you… they were horrified. It’s not your fault though, it was more a case of miscommunication I theorize. They thought you were a hallucination, a figment of their sadness personified. They told you to go and I helped you get away before it could traumatize them any further, or you. If my father’s notes taught me anything… that any misunderstanding that can be created from miscommunication can lead to devastating effects.”

“The original monster, Adam… he went on a rampage because people mistreated him. You didn’t want the same to happen to me…” Vicky whispered, realizing what she meant as Dr. Schmidt nodded.

“After that, I brought you to the cemetery… so we could say goodbye one last time before we left for Monstropolis. I did think of reviving Brian as well for a while. However… it wasn’t me who revived him. He brought himself back, the stubborn boy,” Dr. Schmidt chuckled.

“We were in the graveyard when Brian burst out… still in that parka. Apparently it was something his grandfather gave him, so they felt it appropriate to bury him in it. I tried to call out to him, but he just… stared at me for a moment and then saw you. His eyes… glowed ominously before he scrambled towards the woods. I don’t know what was going on at that time… but I think I have an idea.”

“So if anyone knows whatever happened Jonathan… it’d be him?” Vicky asked. Dr. Schmidt just nodded.

“Do you want to talk to him now or—?”

Vicky just hugged her old friend and newfound mother as she kept a firm hug on her. “Thank you for telling me, Mom…”

Dr. Schmidt's eyes watered a little as she hugged her back, stroking her hair maternally. They just stayed in each other’s arms until Vicky dozed off. Dr. Schmidt smiled and gently walked her to her room where Shelley was waiting. Her daughter’s had a long couple of days. Thankfully, this was the first full night’s sleep she’s had since then.


	5. Epilogue: Monster Promises

Vicky didn’t see Brian again until Sunday morning, when she found him hanging outside of his house… in her yard. He was just tossing his football about in his hands. Both can admit that the film they saw cleared a lot of fog in their heads. Brian himself began to wonder more about the day he woke up. Sighing as he sat up, he spotted the girl he saw like a sister… having known each other their entire afterlives.

“Hey, Blue,” Brian greeted as Vicky approached him.

“Hey, Green… everything alright?”

“Yeah… you?” Vicky just nodded.

“I know everything now… well, almost. Just missing one piece of the story.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you know whatever happened to…?” Vicky asked before her words slurred into each other. Brian only groaned. “Apparently he killed you too.”

“Don’t remind me…” he growled. Then he sighed before Vicky sat down in front of him. “You remember the day we met?”

“Yeah. We spotted you crawling out of your grave. I said hi, and then you ran off. I then gave chase because I was worried I scared you.”

“Nah. You didn’t. I… honestly don’t remember why I did that. But I have a sneaking suspicion,” he chuckled.

“You think it had to do with…  _ him _ ?”

“Likely,” Brian answered. “All I knew was that I woke up hungry. For some reason, I was fixated on this one guy hiding out in the woods. My brain was hot-wired to him. I guess I went after him specifically to make him pay for what he did to everyone he hurt. I think it was a sorta… primal instinct, ya know? something that can’t be controlled, it just… happens. When I came to, I was in the woods when you guys found me again. Do you remember what I looked like?” Brian asked as Vicky tapped her chin.

“Mom noticed you had blood on your hands and face… do you think you ate him?” Vicky asked as Brian shrugs at this.

“Likely did… don’t see no zombie that looks like him, so I likely did something to make sure he was dead when I did.”

“So that he really would no longer be able to hurt anyone ever again…”

“Heh… Well, it wouldn’t be the first time one of us ended up getting someone killed in our class, that's for sure. Just hope Vera doesn’t want me to be an assassin for her,” Brian chuckled sheepishly, Vicky giggling at the way he said that.

“I’m almost sad, though… I don’t get to confront him and… get closure, you know?” Vicky said. “I mean, I’m never gonna forgive him for killing me, but… I want him to know that I’m still alive. Living my best life.”

“Sorry I beat ya to getting revenge, Blue,” Brian chuckled.

“Actually… thank you. I’m not sure if I would’ve been able to say or do anything if I ever saw him.”

“No… no problem, Blue.”

“Heh… love ya, Green.”

Monday came with Dr. Schmidt letting Vicky sleep in. She didn’t need to be in at 6:00 AM with her mom today. She could just go with Brian so they could make it to school at 7:30 with Amira and Oz… both looking concerned, likely as a result of movie night. They were at their normal morning hangout spot on the roof, the two undead joining them.

“Hey, Blue, Green.”

“Hey Red, Yellow,” greeted Vicky as she sat down, Brian to her right, Amira to his, and Oz to hers. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah,” Oz answered. “What about you?”

“Yeah… we’re fine,” Brian answered.

“What’s important is… I know why I’ve been experiencing these flashbacks and nightmares; I know about my past life… even if it doesn’t really matter now. I still don’t have full closure yet, but… I have my life. I have you guys.”

“Heh… you bet your ass you do,” Amira chortled. “So… thinking about who you’re asking for Prom?”

“Amira!” Vicky laughed. “I… I don’t know!”

All four kept laughing as they looked below at their eight most charismatic classmates. Among them, Vicky spotted a certain party ghost, one who opened up to her just a few days ago. She had to thank her later…


End file.
